


A Familiar Stranger

by thesoundofnat



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-29
Updated: 2015-08-29
Packaged: 2018-04-17 22:08:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4683113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoundofnat/pseuds/thesoundofnat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“How much do you need that doll?” Tony asked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.</p>
<p>The stranger’s mouth twitched. “Desperately so.”</p>
<p>“Well,” Tony said, taking a step closer. “I’m likely to get murdered if I don’t show up with it tomorrow.”</p>
<p>(Or, Tony and Steve both reach for the last Barbie, and then lay eyes upon each other for the first time. Steve looks so very familiar, though, Tony notices.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Familiar Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my tumblr thesoundofnat.tumblr.com

Pepper was going to kill him.

Those were the words that prompted Tony to get off of his ass at nine in the evening. This was usually the time for him to lock himself up in his lab and only emerge to refill his coffee cup, or to put on his best suit and leave for some event which he’d only end up not remembering the day after. He’d been planning on working tonight, but one simple text message from Pepper had made him fly out of the door, grabbing a beanie but completely forgetting about his jacket. He was still getting used to this New York City weather.

The grocery store would close in an hour. No time to go back to get properly dressed, so he shivered all the way from his door to his car, and then from his car to the store, ignoring the overly cheerful dude greeting him at the door.

Why he’d agreed to get Pepper’s niece one of those limited edition Barbie dolls he’d never know, but what he did know was that he wouldn’t be able to stand that disappointed look being pointed at him. Oh, and the niece would probably be pretty upset, too.

‘I hope you’ve bought that doll’ Pepper texted him again, as if she knew that he was out Christmas shopping the day before Christmas and wanted to rub it in his face.

He gave an exasperated sigh as he passed the vegetable aisle. “Of course I got that stupid doll,” he muttered to himself.

The store was more crowded than he had expected it to be; people shoving each other out of the way in order to grab all the items they needed. At least he wasn’t the only one who was out last minute.

He shoved his hands in his jeans pockets, wishing that he’d at least brought a hoodie. Walking around in just a t-shirt in December attracted some looks, and adding the fact that he was Tony Stark; well, people were bound to do some double-takes.

With a huff and a lowered gaze he made his way to the toy aisle, finding it easily due to all the signs pointing that way. Christmas time was toy factories’ best friend.

He paused in front of the doll section, frowning. What was that doll called again?

He grinned when he saw it. ‘Super Barbie’ had been the most sold toy this year. He didn’t have to wonder why, and he felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him as he reached for it.

Only he wasn’t the only one about to grab it.

He looked up at the stranger with whom his hand had collided, furrowing his brow at him. The stranger looked apologetic.

“Sorry,” he said, withdrawing his hand.

Tony straightened up. “S’okay.”

The stranger was blond and muscular, and there was something very familiar about him. “I’m not the only one who managed to almost break a kid’s heart, I see.”

Tony grinned. “Guilty as charged. But hey, at least we’re trying to redeem ourselves.”

The stranger cracked a smile. “Trying being the keyword.”

They chuckled merrily like they were Father Christmas, and then, almost simultaneously, their eyes returned to the doll. The very sole example of the Super Barbie. As in, the only one left.

They looked back at each other warily.

“How much do you need that doll?” Tony asked, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

The stranger’s mouth twitched. “Desperately so.”

“Well,” Tony said, taking a step closer. “I’m likely to get murdered if I don’t show up with it tomorrow.”

The stranger looked as if he didn’t know if Tony was being serious or not.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Tony continued, not letting him speak. “I’ll pay you to get something else.”

Blondie raised an eyebrow. “No...thank you?”

Tony sighed in frustration. “Look, if you knew Pepper you’d cut me some slack.”

“And if you knew Nat you’d cut me some.”

“Who’s Nat? Your daughter?”

“Friend. The doll’s for one of her friends’ kid.”

“So it’s less personal. Pepper will literally kill me if I don’t get her niece her stupid doll.”

Blondie was clearly getting impatient. “Look, since you seem to be rich or something you can always just buy something better, can’t you?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Then why would you paying me to get something else make any sense?”

Tony ripped his beanie off and stuffed it in his pocket; his temper rising and making him feel slightly too hot. “Look-”

“You guys do know that I can always get another one from the back, right?” a rather short girl wearing the store’s uniform suddenly said, having walked up to them to see what all the fuss was about.

Neither Tony nor the stranger really looked at each other as they paid for their dolls; evidently embarrassed about the unnecessary brawl. Tony wasn’t usually one to get embarrassed.

The niece loved the doll, which pleased Pepper, which in turn filled Tony with pride at having done one thing right for once, even though it had almost ended in a fight. However, he managed to catch a cold, a painful reminder to never forget his jacket again, so he spent the next few days curled up under three blankets. Pepper was being nicer to him after the success with the doll, so she brought him chicken soup almost everyday. Tony didn’t have the heart to tell her that he didn’t really like soup.

A few months later Tony finally figured out why he’d recognized that stranger.

Captain America, the man out of time. Also known as Steve Rogers. A supersoldier who was scared of getting told off by Nat for not buying a doll. Incidentally, Tony actually did know Nat. Natasha Romanoff, or, as he knew her, the lying girl who had worked for him for a short while. The one who actually worked for Fury, the guy who had decided to assemble a bunch of superheroes and call them Avengers.

Hence, when Tony and Steve were face to face for the second time in their lives, they both stood there staring, as if in shock.

Steve was the one who spoke first. “So Pepper didn’t kill you.”

Tony broke into a grin. “Neither did Nat, I see.”

The others’ bewildered looks were enough to break the ice.

…

Tony woke with a start, feeling confused. He was in bed, alone, the vacated spot next to him making him feel cold. He shivered, got out of bed, and made his way to the kitchen, in desperate need of some coffee and a warm embrace.

He found them waiting for him at the counter, both looking so very appealing.

“Morning,” Steve said, smiling at him.

Tony didn’t reply, only rushed forward to glue himself to Steve’s side as he reached for his coffee.

“Nightmares?” Steve sounded concerned, but Tony knew better than to lie to him.

He nodded. “They’re getting better, though. Less...gory.”

“Good.”

Tony took a sip. “I wish you weren’t a morning person.”

Steve barked out a laugh. “If you’d let me go for runs in the evenings I’d probably stay in bed longer.”

“That ‘probably’ is throwing me off.”

Steve rolled his eyes, leaning closer to press a kiss to Tony’s temple. “Merry Christmas, by the way.”

Tony raised his cup. “And a happy New Year.”

“You do realize today is the anniversary of the first time we met, right?”

“Technically it’s not for another few hours.”

“Nevertheless, I got you a gift.”

“A Christmas gift or anniversary gift?”

“Both.”

“Good, because I got you something as well.”

Steve actually looked surprised; like Tony never bought him stuff. “You did?”

Tony shrugged. “I thought it fit the occasion.”

Steve’s smile could light up a whole room.

They decided to exchange them later that night when everyone was gathered. Very few people, however, understood why Steve and Tony had both gotten each other the same Barbie doll, and why they were doubled over with laughter when they realized it.


End file.
